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I was talking to a new guy before having been sleeved Jun 3, 2013 and when he asked what I liked to eat, I mentioned a few types of food and followed it by saying that I didn't know what I'd be able to eat soon. His immediate reply was "Lap Band?" to which I said "No" and explained the sleeve. Turns out, he is an LPN that has a Lap Band! He has been very supportive so far and even offering suggestions (when I was having problems with the bariatric Vitamins.) Unlike you, I haven't kept my surgery a secret--I've told all of my close friends and a good portion of my co-workers. I have only encountered a few negative remarks---all of which were pre-op expressing that I should exhaust all other avenues before resorting to surgery. Also, after surgery some of the nay-sayers have joined the bandwagon that cheers me on!

I got approval for surgery but waiting for date, bc vascular and bariatric surgeon have to coordinate. Has anyone gotten this? Was the removal of the filter difficult?

Thanks for the info Teresa. I'm in Hillsboro, Oregon. Sorry to hear about Dr. Eubanks' troubles. I can call him and check for updates if you have the number. (He doesn't come up on obesityhelp.com's list of bariatric surgeons in Oregon). A friend of mine with a lap band has had fills in Mexico and fills in the states. She said they are MUCH more generous with the fills (and cheaper of course) in Mexico. They just go for it and give you a good tight fill. Here they want to give you drips and drops and overly cautious about it. :0( Which ends up not as effective, and more expensive with all the return visits to get a little more. So . . I think she gave up on the Washington doctors and will just return to TJ mexico for fills. I'll still stay open to finding someone who is closeby if I can find a good one. Otherwise, will just have to head back to mexico too, if I want to make progress on this weight thingy . . :0)

You read it as hypersensitive and prickly because you fail to understand that bad advice can be lethal. I make sure my comments are ONLY on the DS forum and are to DS patients because that is my experience and my focus. The number one cause of death in Bariatric patients is failure to follow guidelines for their surgery. Do you want to be the one that gives bad advice that leads to someones death? I don't. I'll be hypervigilant as long as people insist on giving out dangerous advice. I'm saving lives. What are you doing?

That one phantom woman of whom you speak is not the measure of all things. Her statement indicates that she was expecting surgery to be a magical solution and had no intention of making changes. If you want to go through life expecting 100% guarantees, you'll squander your life. How tragic that would be. Forget about your mother's encounter and look within yourself. Bariatric surgery is not a cure; it is an aid. If you can find inside the desire to change your habits and take responsibility for your projects, you'll be fine.

ok - just got off the phone with my bariatric nurse who works for United Healthcare - luckily they use the initial BMI taken at the first visit - so that's ok. Second about the surgeon - she said he was in network but the surgery center needs to be in network as well. the surgery center the surgeon is affiliated with is NOT part of the network - so i have to reinforce with True Results of matching me with a surgeon who is in network and who's is affiliated with an in network surgery center/hospital. this is 'my' surgery - and it's up to ME to make sure I have completed all the legwork and requirements of my insurance - the dr,s' office certainly won't.... time to print out acceptable surgeons and such to have with me for the 2nd visit at true results. thanks again everyone...

Here are some images from my bariatric binder that I was issued by my surgical team, mostly pertaining to Step 2: Pureed/Full Liquid post-op diet.

One of my bariatric guy pals brought this up to me last night. He is finding that people at work that would not give him the time of day now want to be friends and meet up after work. Understand this guy has always been out going with a great laugh and smile.He makes everyone around him feel comfortable and welcome.. I can see both sides of this argument. We change our personality, We have our wall down. We are positive and excited about life. We are still getting responses and reactions from strangers. Both male and female. That have never seen or talk to us before? It seems to be both appearance and the inside change. I have no chip on my shoulder about this. I'm actually just finding it interesting. I am married to a good man. But I look and appreciate a good looking man.

Hi! I'm Chris and I am new on vertical sleeve talk. I'm currently pre-op with my surgery scheduled on September 4th. I am both extremely excited and completely nervous. I know that the VSG is the right move for me but I am nervous about the potential complications. I have had a lifelong issue with my weight. I remember going on my first diet in the third grade. I got to a point when I turned thirty that I was considering weight loss surgery, but I wanted to try and give it another shot on my own. I didn't really like the idea of the Lapband or the gastric bypass for myself, so I didn't really want to do surgery at that time. I worked with a bariatric doctor and a nutritionist and went from 326 to 207. But then the my portions grew again and the scale started to creep back up. Now at age 35, I knew I had to do something and talked with my doctor who gave me a surgical referral. When I began talking with them they told me about another surgery I didn't know about, the sleeve. After some research, I realized that was the surgery for me, it was the one I was waiting for. When I began this process I weighed 301. Right now I'm at about 270. I appreciate anybody who has advice, encouragement, or even complications to watch for. Thanks! Talk to you guys soon!

Hello everyone, My name is Jennifer and I live in Tempe, AZ. I have been considering getting the LapBand to help with my weight loss, but I'm not sure where to start my research. I've been to the seminar at the Bariatric Services at Banner in Mesa, but I found them to be very impersonal and they rushed me out instead of answering my questions. I also had one person in the seminar tell me I shouldn't be there because I wasn't "big enough". Whatever that means. If you have had the procedure done or are in the process of it, I have many questions for you. Such as: What are the steps prior to the procedure? I've heard various stories anywhere from they starve you for 2 weeks all the way to requiring to see a psychologist to make sure you can handle the life change. Can someone clear this up for me? Also, choosing a doctor. How do I know I'm getting the best possible care and I'm not dealing with a doc who just wants to make a quick buck? I've been under general anesthesia twice for knee surgeries and it scares me to know that I'll have no control over what they do when I'm out. The first time I was under, the doc botched up my knee. The second surgery was to correct what the first doc screwed up. I don't want to make the same mistake with my organs! Are there any websites for surgeons in the area where I can check their backgrounds and get reviews from former patients? Here's a questions for those who can answer: Is this thing removable? If I decide several years after the procedure that I don't want it in my body anymore, will there be complications to removing it? What are the follow-ups after the procedure like as far as frequency and duration? What's the recuperation time after the procedure? How much work could I expect to miss? My email is Siobhan_Ra@hotmail.com is you would like to email me any information you have. Thanks for looking! -Jenn

Hi Su. Yeah, I'm not surprised nobody at Dr. Amson's office got back to you. Their office admin is a mess - in fact it's one of the reasons I gave up on having gastric bypass. All worked out in the end, though - I am deliriously happy with my band and soooo glad I didn't go the RNY route, even if I did have to pay for the band myself. Worth every penny! In any case, it's possible that the support group offered specifically for Dr. Amson's patients might not accept patients who have had lapband or bypass done by another doctor (Amson only does RNY). However, there have got to be other, more generic bariatric support groups in your area, and it's just a matter of finding them. Hopefully if you can reach someone at Amson's office they can give you some info on that. Are you aware that there is a bariatric conference going on in Victoria the weekend of March 27-28? First of its kind on the island, apparently. It's called Beyond Bariatrics, I think, and anyone who's had any kind of bariatric surgery can go. Registration fee is $120 and includes dinner Saturday night. I'm attending. Google "beyond bariatrics victoria" and you'll find the link.

See if you can find a therapist in a Bariatric Program. There wouldn't be any way for someone to know you were there because of alcohol. I understand your concern being in the medical field - you seem to know someone wherever you go. For your health and well-being, don't let embarrassment, shame or fear stop you from getting help! Good luck!

Hey @MattZ my local community hospital is going to venture into Bariatrics, thought you' d like to know, I haven't met or know the name of but I'm told she was a Rhode Islander, came from your hospital. Person telling me, I nodded my head , said I know it's good, I have a friend MattZ whose surgery was there.

I live in Lemon Grove work in Point Loma, and yes I am Kaiser. I also happen to be the founder of the San Diego Kaiser Bariatric WLS support group Face book page. :-) as well as the founder of the San Diego Pacific Bariatric Support group Face Book Page.

What made me choose my surgeon? Don't laugh , my peeps, but first I looked at his picture. Yeah I know it sounds shallow, life isn't always a beauty contest, true but it wasn't true beauty I was looking for. I was looking for a kind yet steadfast expression. The surgeon at facility # 1 (curses be upon them) was as cute as a speckled pup, but there was something about his demeanor in even his picture, "Here I am, kiss my feet and do it NOW".Oh I tried to stuff this feeling to the back of my mind, said to myself You're asking too much, the papers say he's experienced, maybe he will be okay, and sadly,i was right. Yes surgeons do have to have confidence but this dude was so full of himself there was barely any airbleft in the the room for anyone else. And as time went by he did not dispell this uneasy feeling. I tried to rationalize it away, he's just a people mechanic, he knows how to perform the surgery and perform it okay. Its not as though he is filling out an application to be your lover And when he rejected me it hurt, oh it hurt so badly like having a limb traumatically severed. I had jumped through every consultation hoop he required, traveled 100 miles round- trip for each and every one.Gave up my drinks, foods , tried to realign my diet to his specifications. Placidly remitted my co-pays, know he raped both my insurance carriers line's satyr, even paid his facilitie's blood money of $200 cash, for pre and post- nutritional & dietary consulting which i didn't receive or have that money, which I'm sure with his wealth he regarded it as chump change but it was a lot of money to me. I affiliated myself with his facility for 2. and a half years , went through his program not once but twice. But when it came time to put up or shut up, commit himself to a surgery date he said " Nah I don't think so!" he had 2 partners, for all I know, he still does. I had met them in passing so they were not total strangers. Did he offer either of them in exchange? Nope, no way. it was " Go away little girl, we've bleed as money out of you as legally possible, now just Go Away!" There way one member of his staff I liked, she called the week after this happened to apologize. No she couldn't get me reinstated or change his mind n but she did have the decency to apologize So I entered program #2 with fear and a little trepidation. But it has been a totally different experience, instead of having someone assigned to me by a hospital program , I had my choice of two. So I looked intently,at the 2 pictures side by side,then I pulled up everything I could on either one, their professional records, their biographies, their statements of purpose. I checked to see how old had their oldest and youngest patients had been. I'm high functioning aspie, we can be quite obsessive with our interests. Both were individually creme de la creme, I decided either would do me nicely. Why did I choose Dr Needleman? His partner's oldest patient had been 64, he had had. successful 70 year oldd before. He was a pioneer in this area and indeed in my state, Ohio. I found his statement of purpose on OHIO STATE'S website resonated with me. And finally he,is the Director of Bariatric Surgery and Metabolic Weight Loss at this facility, a full Professor,in the Medical College, I respect a man who doesn't sit on his laurels but wants to educate others. And although this might sound selfish and,egotistical, I said to myself " Frustr8 ,Old Girl, you are only going to go around,once, this is your one And only excursion into Bariatric Surgery, there are no longer "do overs" , why not give yourself an unsurpassed gift📦. The gift that you loved yourself enough,that you sought and obtained the very best. So that is how Bradley J Needleman MD and I formed a surgical alliance. I found him to be.personable, intelligent, treated me as a equal instead of talking down to me and the more we chatted the more I reaffirmed my choice, this was the man I would entrust with my very life. And on September 5th 2018 at 7AM in his operating theatre I will do so. No Fears , No Reservations and I go forth with hope and Trust in my ❤OF,❤!

My surgeon, and his whole team, practice at a bariatric center of excellence. Their approach is holistic, and they prepare patients every step of the way for success. I had other options, but went with my surgeon because of all this, his level of experience, and my confidence in his skills. Couldn't be happier. Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello everyone, I've been on Protein shakes 2 days now, three shakes a day, along with other fluids, broth, sugarfree Jello or sugarfree pudding & popsicles. I take a Bariatric Multivitamin(chewable) or Gummy Multivitamin, Calcium(chewable) & B12 sublingual daily. Actually, all the chewable Vitamins are not bad the taste is ok.

Puffytwo, Mine were/are sharp pains that last for a second right in the center of my chest and were coming about every 2 minutes when I was in the hospital. I don't feel pressure. It should be ruled out with an upper GI and if not then, then I suppose they might have to do some other test, maybe an endoscopy or something. I've heard who people complain of hiatal hernias feeling like pressure in the chest. Mine were definitely sharp pains that came and went. What did your bariatric surgeon tell you it was? You've ruled out your heart so that's a good thing and hopefully an upper GI will help you figure out what it is. Nancy:smile:

@@parisshel I am so glad that you went to the ER and that they were able to help stabilize you. The symptoms of heart attack in women are so much different then what we would think they are. Here is a link to a Video by Elizabeth Banks on Heart Attacks in Women. We might think it can't be that, but sometimes it can very well be. I had one when I was very young due to medical complications after the birth of my son. https://www.goredforwomen.org/about-heart-disease/symptoms_of_heart_disease_in_women/just-a-little-heart-attack/ It is a GREAT idea to have your cardio Dr. sync up with your bariatric surgeon because the Vagus nerve can also play a role in what's going on and most Cardiologist are not familiar with WLS patients, having him consult with your surgeon will help in what ever diagnosis and treatment that may be needed. So glad you are OK. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and keep in touch let us know how your doing.

I find it amazing that a Kaiser dietician would make such a ridiculous statement. With a very short list of exceptions, I eat anything I want to eat. The success of the surgery is not about what you can or can't eat. I find it unforgivable for a healthcare "professional" to suggest otherwise. It's about what you choose to eat. Or not eat. Lifestyle changes. Apparently Bariatric Pal should be required reading for bariatric dieticians - for life!

I went to my doctors office yesterday because I felt that that food getting caught in my throat sensation was getting worse. I started having issues with drinkable protein yogurt and swallowing pills. I spoke to the nurse on the phone and she told me to come into the office. I asked to me seen by an MD. Three days ago I noticed a bulge the size of a softball sticking out on my right side under my breast bone. I’ve also had pain on my lower back. When I went into the office, the NP came into the exam room. She was very dismissive of my symptoms that I have been experiencing in conversations with her. I told her that I was told that I would be able to see an MD and if I couldn’t, I was going to call my PCP and go see another bariatric specialist. She left the room and came back with a surgeon. The NP examined me and said I had a hernia and asked me if I ever had issues swallowing. I haven’t. Seconds later my surgeon came in. He is well know and people come from all over the country come to see him for bariatric surgery with him. That’s why I chose him. He examined me and said that I didn’t have a hernia and the bump was tissue that is healing. He sent me to get an X-ray with contrast die and that’s when I learned I had stenosis. The opening of my stomach was narrowed due to scar tissue. On Monday I have another operation scheduled for my surgeon to remove the scar tissue. He said that this happens with 2 percent of patients after surgery. After surgery I have to go back to the liquid food plan and start over. I’m feeling really scared and hoping that one day I’ll be able to eat normally and healthy. I’m worried that something happened to me and I may have to live with a disability for the rest of my life. I’ve lost 25 pounds since my surgery day, which was July 20th. I’m not that excited about that because of these complications that I’ve been having.

I have noticed when I dip below 1200 calories I start holding onto the weight. I've been sick with a cold and had a bit of a rough week emotionally. As a result I haven't been eating enough and haven't lost any weight this week. At three months I was getting upset because I was losing so slowly and the nurse practitioner at my Bariatric Program told me to increase my calories from 800 to 1200. The weight started melting off. For my body, 1200 calories seems to be the magic number. I swim 3-5 hours per week too.

I like my fitness pal. I've used it for about 9 years (I haven't had surgery yet). I don't like all the ads, but it doesn't bother me enough to use the paid version. Some people on here have complained that it says you're not eating enough after bariatric surgery, but all you have to do is not mark your day "complete" and it doesn't care. They have a huge database of foods and the recipe builder is pretty easy to use.

Thank you so much for your reply. I’ve been feeling helpless and regretting my decision having this surgery. I’m going to call my doctors office in the morning. Did they do an X-ray with contrast die on you? What was the scope procedure like? Was it your bariatric surgeon that did the scope procedure or a gastroenterologist?

I live in Central Texas and my surgeon was Dr. David Provost at Baylor Scott and White in Temple. He is a bariatric surgery pioneer in TX and has been doing bariatric surgery for many years. After meeting him and checking his credentials (I am a nurse practitioner so I investigate every health care provider I see 🙄) I felt very comfortable with him and had absolutely no post op complications. I had the sleeve in May 2018 since I never had any significant reflux. I think the reflux is the main reason people get conversion since you don't want to be on prilosec long term and you don't want chronic inflammation of your esophagus. There are a couple of others on here in maintenance who had the sleeve converted to bypass and have done very well so hopefully one of them will respond.